The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-03-03

INTERESTING sEssIoNs.-THE GOOD WORK
ACCOMPLISHED.

I ERESTING SESSIONS. THE GOOD WORh
ACCOMPLISHED.
The eleventh Annual Convention OF The
Young Mems Christian Association Of
Virginia which convened in this city OF
thursday night last. ended it's session witt
the services of the Sabbath. The atten
dance was full, nearly every Association
in the State being represented, ant
throughout the entire proceedings the in
| terest was maintained and a vast deal o.
good accomplished. The mission Of thu
Association, as the auxiliary of the churcl
operating without regard to sect, ant
reaching out to classes that do not ordlna
rily come under the influence Of religious
teachings and Christian fellowship, wai
fully exemplided in the discussions an(
and lectures which constituted the more
prominent features Of the sessions.
The organization of the Y. M. G. A
| throughout America numbers 10000
members, and contrA millions Of dollar:
worth Of property. Some of its building:
are among the handsomest and most costly
of the larger cities, whilst the libraries
contain hundreds of thousands Of volumes
The reading room supplied by each Asso
citation opens its doors without money ant
without price, and has thus been the means
of furnishing healthful recreation anl
pleasant employmentto Thousands who
might otherwise have spent their evenings
far less profitably. Ii Virginia there are
some twenty of these Associations, the
membership of which reaches to three
thousand, and the aggregate annual expen
diture IS estimated at S15, 900. No man
can compute the good that has been ac
complished through this agency, or meas.
ure the influence and power it exerts in
every community where foothold has
been gained.
THE MEETING OF THE CONVENTION.
At s O'Clock on Thursday night, the Con-
vention held its preliminary meeting in
the Lutheran Church. A number Of the
pews were set apart for the accommodate
ton Of the guests, and the remainder Of
the church flied with interested special ors
After some excellent singing by the college
delegates, President Henry D. Peek, of
the Stanton Association, called the Con-
vention to order. and prayer was offered
by Rey. DR.. Settlemyer. pastor Of the
church. Mr. Peck then introduced Maj.
Jed. Hotchkiss. who delivered the well
coming address in his happiest vein, and
it was appropriately responded to Oh be-
bali Of he delegates, by Mr.. Fl. N. Clarke
of Richmond, Capt. L. l.. Marks, OF Pc
tersburg, President of the last Convention,
having in the meantime been called to the
char.
Capt. Marks was elected temporary
Chairman, and Mr. Pendleton Jones TEN
porary Secretary. Messrs. W. G. Ludwig,
Of Washington and Lee : j. a. Reynolds,
of Norfolk, and G. j. Smoot, Of Alexan-
dria, we're appointed committee on per.
manent organization and e. P. Dadnum,
of Norfolk j. L. Yates. of Lynchburg !;
E. Pendleton Jones, Of Richmond: A. NJ.
Howison, Of Stanton, and A. D. Smith,
of Charlottesville, committee OF tempo
rary business.
During the retirement of the commit
tees, Hon. j. Taylor Ellyson, Of Richmond
addressed the Convention en- Association
Work-Its claims upon business nen, !"
deliver ing d clear and forcible presentation
of the subject, fortified by an array OF sta
tistics, and impressed with al earnestness
that made it's power felt. He was followed
by MI. Fl. 0. Williams, State Secretary,
who conducted the ''Informal talk to
Workers. y in receiving answers Of How
to secure the best results for the Associa-
tom
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION.
Mr.. Ludwig, from the Committee on
Permanent Organization, made the follow
ing report, which was concurred in: For
President, S. D. Wood, of Charlottesville ;
First Vice President. J. 7. Ellyson, of
Richmond ; Second, ]. j. Shirley, of Staun-
ton: Third, j. a. j. Spear, of Richmond
College Secretary. R. E. Turner. Of II or
fox Assistant Secretary, e. NJ. Stokes,
Of the University.
The Committee On Work reported the
programme for the succeeding day, and
the Convention adjourned with the bene-
diotion by DR.. Mcfarland, Of the First
Presbyterian Church.
FIRST DAY.
The day sessions'of the Convention were
held in tic lutheran Church, and Oh Fri
dlv morning. President Woods in the
chair, the real work commenced. Under
| the direction Of Mr. Clark, Of Richmond,
the workers framing class, consisting of
T. 4 johnson, T C. Johnson, G. II. y Dung
ef. Z. Z. Jones. George S. Crenshaw, E.
Z. Dadrum. J McLain Brown, G. Almond
Miller. r. T. Moore, Porter Hardy and E.
NJ. Stiers, answered inquiries with practi-
| cal obstruction on the Bible, It's books,
writer's, and divisions Of subjects. The
standing committees were then announced
on Devotional Exercises, Business, Exec
utive, Reports, Credentials and Resolu-
tons.
Under the head of 'New Plans-W hat
have been Tried with Success ?'' conducted
by Mr.. c. 4. Licklider, of Lynchburg.
responses were made by Lynchburg, Rich
mond, Randolph Macon, Hampden-S Sidney
University, Norfolk. Greenville, Stanton.
Washington and Lee, Alexandria, Wash
ington, Roanoke College, Luray, Emory
and Henry, Charlottesville and Culpeper.
The new methods were named, and in each
association adopting this course the best
results were obtained.
Mr.. Williams, State Secretary, called for
reports, which were made by representa-
tives Of the following Associations: AL
exapdria, Charlottesville, Charlottesville
Junior, Gulpeper, Greenville, Luray,
Lynchburg, Lexington. Norfolk and Ports
mouth, Petersburg, Richmond. Roanoke.
Stanton and Wytheville. The reports
throughout showed much ground for en-
couragement, eyidencing satisfactory
growth, zeal and enthusiasm in the work
with excellent results,
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The session of Friday afternoon was
opened by Mr.. T. A. johnson, of Lynch
burg, in a lecture upon the christian
Work. He was followed by Mr.. McLain
Brown, of Charlottesville. in discussion